Let Your Heart Beat For Me
by Bren Gail
Summary: Three years after the birth of Hank, Derek Morgan returns to Quantico a broken man. Where does he go first? Home. Home for Derek is his best friend, Penelope Garcia. But, what if his PG has a new best friend? How will the team dynamic change when Derek Morgan steps into a role he previously once held?
1. Introduction

_"Come on home and let_

_Yourself heal_

_You could sleep for a thousand years_

_I won't let you disappear_

_Let your heart beat here."_

_\- Dashboard Confessional, Heart Beat Here_

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Summary: Three years after the birth of Hank, Derek Morgan returns to Quantico a broken man. Where does he go first? Home. Home for Derek is his best friend, Penelope Garcia. But, what if his PG has a new best friend? How will the team dynamic change when Derek Morgan steps into a role he previously once held?

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**Let Your Heart Beat For Me**

**by Bren Gail**

**Introduction**

The sound of the ring tone penetrating the silence of her apartment at 02:49 AM did not wake her from the melatonin gummy induced slumber. The persistent knock on her front door eventually penetrated the slumber, however she did not rise from the warm cocoon of her bed.

She blinked several times as she rose her head from the bright purple pillow. As the knocking continued, she groaned as she dropped her head back to the pillow. Perhaps, she shouldn't have tried to beat the reigning, defending, undefeated beer pong champion, Luke Alvez. Her body felt somewhat heavy, her vision blurry, and her head felt as if a drum solo from a rock concert occurred in her head. The drum was her skull.

After a few minutes of silence, she began to slip into a peaceful slumber. She vaguely felt the bed dip as if someone had sat onto the other side. She would murder Luke's credit score if he had drove here drunk or worse called Emily or JJ to drive him. How would she explain to either of her sister friends the dynamic between the two had changed? Or, worse what if Luke had explained on the way here.

Emily had driven Esther to bring her home earlier in the night due to Penelope being unable to drive home. JJ had followed. Both ladies had helped her up the stairs before JJ took Emily back to Luke's to pick up her own car. Luke had tried to get Penelope to stay in a guest room, but she had politely declined due to an unexpected night and awkward morning after, several months ago. She was adamant that she had to stay home. The Universe had whispered to her when she left work that she needed to go home after the team bonding at Luke's.

She felt the bed shift as if someone was climbing under the blanket that she laid on. She sighed when she heard a voice she hadn't heard in person in two years.

"Pen..." He said as he wrapped his left arm around her, his hand resting on her slinky night gown clad hip.

She turned then muttered as she snuggled closer into the embrace, "This is nice. I've not dreamed about Derek like this in years, but Queen of Dreams, why must he sound so sad?"

Derek smiled sadly as he whispered against the shell of her left ear. "Baby girl, wake up."

Startled, somewhat sobered, yet still buzzed, she sat up turned to her right to turn on a bedside lamp. She clenched her eyes shut. It was close to three in the morning. This couldn't be good. She turned toward him and exclaimed with her eyes closed, excited yet scared over the reasoning as to why he was there. "Derek?! What are you doing here? Did you pick my lock?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, Merlin, did you kick my door in?"

"No," He answered ruefully as he extracted a key from his leather jacket. He touched the warm key to her nose. She blinked her eyes open and cringed at the light until she partially adjusted to it. "You haven't changed your lock, silly girl. This key is from when I changed it four years ago. Not safe. It's smart to change locks every year, no more than two."

"Oh," She said as she became more alert yet still drowsy. "You're always welcome here, but why are you here instead of Chicago?"

He looked down then to his right. She noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and he'd forgone shaving for a day or so. Dried tear lines reflected on his skin when he turned his face slightly away from her in shame.

Penelope sighed as the contradictory pain in her head and joy in her heart. She now knew that Derek was the reason why The Universe had suggested that she be at home tonight. Thankfully, she had remembered when she was plastered, or more apt that Emily had remembered that Penelope had mentioned wanting to sleep in her own bed. As she grabbed his right hand to comfort him, she said. "Something happened."

He cleared his throat, however his tone remained gruff as if emotion was clogged within when he replied. "You could say that."

"Derek, it's been a long week. The team just closed a super energy draining and darky dark darkest case. Not to mention that we're understaffed nowadays." She sighed as she rubbed her eyes and winced when her own voice hit a pitch that her head did not appreciate. "You, Savannah, and Hank can have my bed." She folded the afghan throw away from her as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. She said, "I'll take the couch–"

He said as he stopped her from leaving the bed. "No, baby girl. They're not here."

"They're not here?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion then worry. "Oh, no!" She grabbed both of his hands with her eyes wide in desperation. "Please tell me that they're okay!"

He cleared his throat. He removed his right hand from her vice grip. She let his left one go before she settled her hands in her lap. He rubbed his jaw then popped his neck. "Hank is with my Mom, for now..." His voice trailed off. He rolled his shoulders before he continued. "Can I stay the night?"

"Of course?" She stated with a hint of an unspoken question: _Where is Savannah?_ "Do you want the bed or the couch?"

"Woman," He said, teasingly as he rolled his eyes. "We'll both sleep in the bed like old times."

Scandalized, her eyes widened. "Derek, you're married now. I'm not disrespecting your and Savannah's vows. I know and you know, and she knows and we all know that we all know that nothing will happen, but I refrain from the appearance of evil. That's not happening on my watch or in my bed."

"Baby girl, your closet says otherwise concerning refraining the appearance of evil." He grinned, before the corners of his lips dropped into a frown. He furrowed his brows and his lip trembled. "Savannah broke those vows you speak so highly of. I have eye witness testimony." His voice cracked. "My own."

"Oh, Derek." She wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. He returned it as he placed his chin on her shoulder. "I am so sorry. What are you going to do?"

"Tonight?" He shrugged as two tears escape from one eye and one tear rolled down his cheek from the other. "Sleep."

Tentatively, she asked. "Tomorrow?"

"Start the rebuilding process. The life I had is destroyed." He pulled away from the embrace. He kissed her forehead. "First step is to check out one of my rental vacancies around Quantico to see if it is immediately habitable." He smiled, sadly yet hopeful for a new beginning. "I'm coming home, Penelope."

He gently grasped her face in his hands. Her heart skipped a beat as he kissed her squarely on the forehead.

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**Author's Note**: _Let Your Heart Beat For Me_ is my first Penelope/Derek fan fiction in seven years. My first, Derek/Pen/Luke love triangle. Please, be constructive yet kind in any review that you may leave. Thanks. 8)


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Luke Alvez joyfully hummed a popular song as he held a small mixing bowl in his left hand and a whisk in his right as he scrambled the eggs within the bowl. He stopped humming as he glanced at the smartphone resting on the charging station which was near the stove than him. He had expected Penelope to call him this morning moaning about how he had cheated last night during beer pong. He certainly hadn't cheated, but he would let her think so to lessen the blow of him always winning. It was their routine.

"Siri, call Penelope Garcia Personal Cell. Siri, turn on speaker phone." He said before he began to hum once more.

Siri responded, "Calling Pen-el-o-pe Gar-ci-a Per-son-al Cell. Turning speaker phone on."

Instead of him hearing the ringing tone, he immediately heard an automated recording, "The person you have called is not accepting calls at this time. Please try again later."

Luke stopped humming as he realized that Penelope's phone was off. He glanced to the digital clock on his stove; 11:34 AM. Even after the late night the team had, she should be awake and phone fully charged by now. He frowned as he placed the bowl unto the marble table top.

Concerned, but not wanting to allow that concern to drift to panic prematurely, he calmly stated, "Siri, call Penelope Garcia Home. Siri, turn Speaker phone on."

Although, he had the number programmed, this would be first time he would call it, because she was always available via her personal or work cell. Siri responded, "Calling Pen-el-o-pe Gar-ci-a Home. Turning speaker phone on."

After the third ring, the answering machine greeted, "Bonjour, I am currently unavailable to take your call. Call my cell phone. Landlines are so last century. I only have one to appease my chocolate thunder. He's big on safety even more so since I recently got shot. Anyhow, call my cell phone. Ciao."

Luke turned his head sideways in confusion as he mouthed the words 'chocolate thunder'. Several questions began forming in his mind. Where is Penelope? What is a chocolate thunder? Recently got shot? When was the last time she updated her greeting? He only recently learned that she had gotten shot years before he met her.

"Penelope, answer your phone. I'm worried about you, Chica. You never let your cell die. I want to check on you, because of what happened last night. Pick up the phone."

Luke smiled when he heard the click indicating that the call had been answered before the answering machine disconnected. However, instead of his friend and confidante, Penelope, answering the phone, he heard the gruff voice of a man that sounded oddly familiar, but he couldn't place where he remembered it from. "Do tell. What happened last night?"

"Derek," Luke heard Penelope admonish. "Let me talk to Luke. Stop the riot act. Luke's my friend. You've met him before. Remember? Agent Alvez?"

Friend? Ouch. Luke winced at the word and the realization that Morgan was in town. Although, Penelope technically told the truth, she was lying to herself and him. Perhaps, he realized that he had allowed her to do so for far too long. They had been more than friends for months; they just hadn't ironed out the details of their relationship yet. If Morgan wasn't happily married to the Doctor, Luke would allow jealously to form, but he felt as if he had nothing to worry about except competing with the past and the what could have been, but won't ever happen.

Before Derek handed the cordless phone to Penelope, he told Luke. "Alvez, you hurt her, you die. Understand?"

Living in the memory of Derek Morgan's shadow had taught Luke many things when he had joined the team and in the early days of his friendship with Penelope. Much of that knowledge left a bitter taste in his mouth where it concerned Penelope, but on the job it challenged him to be his equal, and in some ways superior than Agent Morgan. Luke knew that Morgan could never do wrong in Penelope's eyes so Luke refrained from saying the retort that he wanted, _"I'm the one picking up the pieces of her heart that you hurt."_ Yet, he said in reply, "Crystal."

"Good." Derek said before he handed the phone to Penelope.

"I am so sorry, Luke." She paused. "Wait a second..."

Luke could barely comprehend the muffled statement that Derek had gave, but he heard it. "I placed your phone on charge. I'll be home later, baby girl."

Luke heard Penelope's voice clearer when she told Derek, "Thank you, Derek. Ciao, call me."

A look of astonishment formed over Luke's face. She had allowed Derek to touch her phone without her transforming into an angry gremlin? Luke wasn't allowed near any of her babies, including her handheld ones. He wasn't sure to be impressed or offended. Could he be both, he wondered? Wait, had Morgan said the word home? Morgan still called her baby girl after marrying another woman? Luke inhaled and exhaled deeply as he counted from 10 to 1, quicker than the calming technique required.

"Sorry, Luke." Penelope said as she returned her attention back to him. "I'm sorry about Derek giving you the big brother act."

"I'm not scared." Luke said instead of what he wanted: _Derek looks at you like a sister like I do...not at all._ Luke smiled proud of himself. Anger Management apparently was working. He tried to apply himself in class and practice outside of class. He knew Prentiss was serious when she threatened him: get your anger under control or transfer.

"I wouldn't want to be witness to or the cause of a fight between you two." Penelope said tersely as if she was giving him a warning without her realizing it. "You both mean the world to me."

Luke ignored the warning with a warning of his own, "Garcie, I wouldn't allow you to watch. I'd walk away. No fight to see."

"You walk away from a fight?" Penelope said as she giggled. She didn't understand what he truly meant. "Please. You are in those Anger Management classes for a reason." She said as her tone turned serious. "Anderson did nothing to deserve the black eye you gave him and the choke-hold you placed him in." She sighed. "I know you don't want to talk about what really happened, but I'd like to know what he said one day. He refuses to tell me, he said it was your secret to tell."

Luke placed his hands flat unto the marble counter top as he braced himself against it. Anderson had gotten under his skin. Thinking about the altercation made his blood boil, still. "Chica, this is the last time I'm telling you. It was petty and I shouldn't have lost it. I did, though. I have three months left of the nine months Prentiss assigned me."

"Okay, I respect your privacy." Penelope conceded. "I truly do, because if I really wanted to know all it would take is a few strokes of my keyboard and boom secret revealed."

"Garcie, you have your secrets. Please, let me have mine." Luke said, forcing himself to use a light tone instead of the rough one he wanted.

"Speaking of secrets," Penelope said, using a flirty tone. "Will you ever tell me your secret of winning beer pong?"

"I charm lightweights such as yourself to play against me."

Penelope snorted, "Nothing about me is lightweight."

"I prefer you not being a lightweight. But, Garcie, you're alcohol tolerance, compared to me is lightweight."

"I'd pay to see you lose. I still can't believe you beat Rossi and Will, too."

"Nobody can beat me, Chica."

"Pride comes before a fall."

"As long as I fall in your bed, afterward, it would be worth it."

"Luke..." Penelope trailed off. "About that, we need to talk about what happened between us...especially that first night."

"We do. I wondered when you'd allow us to talk about it. I tried for a month afterward, you kept detouring the conversation."

"Well...Luke, I think we made a mistake that night."

"I agree, Penelope. I made the mistake of letting you leave in the middle of the night without us having a detailed conversation about our future. It was kind of low of you to leave without saying something or leaving a note."

"I panicked."

"Why did you panic?"

"I..."

"Let me guess." Luke said in a snarky tone. "Did the panic come before or after you called me another man's name?"

"Luke, I did nothing of the sort." She sighed. She hoped that she didn't. "We're friends. We're coworkers. You're a really, really great guy. Like, really great. You're a dream come to life, but I..." She hesitated then inhaled and exhaled deeply before she began to speak quickly as if she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to say the words if she didn't do it quickly. "I can't enter a serious relationship again. I can't. I thought that maybe I could try again, but I was wrong. I didn't intend on sleeping with you that first night. We were alone, got too flirty add some beer pong and boom friends became friends with benefits. My heart is still wounded from my past relationships with Kevin and Sam. I'm sorry that I gave you the impression that I wanted a long term relationship."

"Are we finally having this conversation, because _Morgan_ came to _visit_ you?" Luke asked, snidely. His dormant jealously activated.

"We are having this conversation, because..." She growled. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"It means that we had a good thing going then you get cold feet coincidentally when Morgan shows up? I call bullshit. You can claim that you didn't intend for us to cross the line of friends that first night, I get it we were both drunk, but what kept you coming back? Shit, Garcia, we've been in a serious relationship since then without the label."

"I'm sorry, Luke. I understand that you're mad."

"Mad?" He said, as he threw the bowl of scrambled eggs across the room. "Mad? No, I'm not mad. I'm freaking livid and hurt. You don't get to put our relationship and me into this neat little box and hide it away while Morgan is in town." Tears of hurt, frustration, and anger began to well up in his brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, Luke. Please, don't do this. He isn't visiting. This has nothing do with Derek."

With his right hand, he swats one stray tear from his cheek. "You don't get to revert back to the old Penelope for Morgan's sake. You are better than that, Penelope."

"The old Penelope? I don't understand."

"The Penelope before you met me. The Penelope who dropped everything, everyone, and anyone for a man who didn't give a damn about her. I've heard the stories. I've heard the rumours. I've heard everything. You loved him with every fiber of your being and he thought that you weren't enough for him. He married that Doctor chick and left. He didn't choose you. I chose you. I choose you. Don't throw away what we have, can have because he flies in for a visit, flashes his grin, and mumbles a baby girl at you. He's a married man. All he can offer you is an affair. I can offer you everything. He'll choose her again mark my words. Please, don't be his whore."

"Oh..."

"Penelope?"

"I didn't realize that you thought so little of me. Emily was wrong, we all were. You don't need anger management. It seems like you've held in a lot of anger and jealously where it concerns my friendship with Derek. You can manage that anger just fine until you want to release it to use it as a weapon. I'll see you at work on Monday. Please, don't call me again on any of my personal lines, Agent Alvez."

What she said did not register with Luke until he heard silence from her disconnecting the call. He slammed his closed right fist unto the marble counter top. The velocity of the slam cracked the marble counter top. He yelped in emotional and physical pain. He cradled his right fist into his left palm as he began to cry in anger, heartbreak, and shame.

Had he called the woman he loved, a whore?

He had.

He had told her that he would walk away from a fight concerning her, but he had lied.

He would fight for her, for them, but he needed to make amends with her first.

After he went to the emergency room for an x-ray.

He knew that Prentiss would banish him to desk duty if he had a broken hand. If? He chuckled dryly as he cried over the possibility of losing Penelope. He didn't need a medical degree to determine whether the hand was broken or not. Would desk duty be so bad this time? It would allow him time to make amends and woo his woman.

Brokenhearted, broken handed Luke Alvez said, "Siri, call David Rossi.**"**

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**Author's Note**: Angst and drama filled. What did you think? I realize that Luke may be a bit out of character, but it's because this is the first time I've written him. Also, I haven't watched Criminal Minds consistently in several seasons. What I have seen, I like the character and the dynamic that he has with our Penelope. Any suggestions or tips on his character development would be welcome. Thank you all for reading. Also, thank you to the ones that reviewed the last chapter. I love reading your thoughts, comments, and suggestions.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Derek Morgan stood with his hands on his hips surveying the damage of his vacant rental. When he had told Penelope that he would check on his rental vacancies he hadn't expected to find property damage. He had expected to find, if any thing, squatters living in one or both houses or wild animals taking shelter, but the pipes had frozen then busted in thid rental over winter and had severe water damage. He should have been notified by the prior tenants, but hadn't. He vaguely remembered a certified letter indicating their intention to not renew their lease. The vacant rental he had checked before this one had been vandalized by what he assumed to be gang members due to specific graffiti on the walls. Also, the copper had been stripped from that same vandalized, vacant rental. It would be, at the least, a month before either house was habitable enough for he and Hank to move in and that was if he hired a construction team to work around the clock.

He sighed in defeat as he popped his neck with his right hand. He unbuckled the smart phone from the case on his left hip. It was close to three in the afternoon. He quickly scrolled through his messages to see if Penelope had returned his text from hours earlier. He had sent: _Baby girl, hope you have fun with your Latin lover today. Don't make plans for tonight. You + Me + Veggie Pizza and Snacks + 7 PM = Movie Night._ He frowned when he realized that Savannah hadn't tried to call or text him. He hadn't wanted to deal with her or her infidelity today or anytime soon, but he had expected her to try to reach out. Check on Hank, at the very least. After all, he had taken a napping Hank out of his room shortly after sitting his wedding band on the dresser while she tried to cover the bottom half of her naked body with a sheet. Her lover had fled to the master bath and locked the door upon realizing that Derek had caught them. As if a lock would keep him out of the room. Derek shook his head as he noticed the missed call from his mother. The time stamp indicated that she had called him twenty minutes ago. He had been in the crawl space.

"Hey, Mama." Derek greeted in a false upbeat tone. "How's my boy?"

"Hi, Derek." Fran said in a distracted tone. "Hank is fine. He's in the play area in the living room with Kentrell." She cleared her throat. "How's _my_ boy doing?"

The false upbeat tone transformed into a firm, warning tone as he said, "Mama."

"Don't you, Mama, me. I know you want me to mind my own and I usually do," She paused when she heard Derek snort in disbelief. "I do, Derek. I don't say everything that I want to you. I might nudge you, but I don't force my will upon you. You're a grown man with grown responsibilities, BUT when my baby comes home to me, crying in the middle of the day when he should be at work with my grand-baby who is usually at the hospital day care on Friday's, I get to say what I want. I told you that I would keep Hank while you sort out the mess with Savannah, but I didn't realize that you jumped on a plane."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "What makes you think that I jumped on a plane?"

She cleared her throat before she flippantly stated, "I called Penelope."

He groaned before he asked, "Why did you call, Garcia, Mama?"

"I called your phone this morning and it went straight to voice mail, so I called Savannah. Her assistant answered her phone and told me that Savannah was unavailable and that she didn't know where you were."

"I repeat, why did you call, Garcia?"

"I know she's good with computers. I wanted her to track your GPS on your phone." She said as if that was as normal as calling someone for a recipe. "Imagine my surprise when Penelope said that you had just left her apartment." Fran paused. "Derek, I know you're hurting over whatever it is that Savannah did, but that doesn't give you a right to take it out on that sweet girl. By sweet girl, I refer to Penelope. That woman has always done right by you. Earlier, she sounded as if you had put her through the ringer. I could tell that she was trying to hide that she was crying when she answered the phone."

"Mama. I'm not taking anything out on anyone certainly not my," Derek paused as if reconsidering his wording. "Certainly, not Penelope."

"Your what?" Fran prompted. She wasn't one to let an opportunity pass. "Your baby girl? I vaguely remember you and Savannah arguing last Christmas before Grace was said, because you called Penelope to wish her Merry Christmas and greeted her as your favorite baby girl..."

"Now Mama, don't start."

"No, Derek." Fran said, firmly. "I minded my own several years ago and this is what your life has come to. No," Derek tried to interrupt her, but she stopped him. "No, Derek. You don't get to interrupt me. I have to say this: you're married to a woman who doesn't love you like she should, she loves her career supremely, and you run to the woman who does love you as soon as your wife does something unforgivable. I still want to know what that unforgivable sin is, because it has to be big for you to take your wedding band off and bring me your child with a I'll be back in a couple days promise, Mama. I was a cop's wife and am a mother to a FBI Agent, I notice things."

"Mama." Derek said in a broken tone as if he was trying to conceal that he was fighting tears. "Please. We've been over this time after time after time over the last fifteen years. Penelope loves me, yes, but she is not in love with me. It's not like that with us. She let me marry Savannah."

"Oh, Derek." Fran sighed. "Are you listening to yourself?"

"Mama, I hear myself perfectly."

"Yeah, you hear yourself, but you're not listening to your words, or your heart or your mind. You just said that your best friend let you marry your wife. That's not how it's supposed to be, baby. You get married, because you want to get married to the love of your life not a consolation prize."

"I can't do this, right now, Mama." Derek sighed. "I'm busy."

"Busy? Busy doing what?" Fran asked, in disbelief.

"I'm checking out my vacancies before I head to meet Spencer."

"Oh..." Fran said in a defeated tone. "You're moving back to D.C."

"Mama, I'm sorry. I know you wanted to watch Hank grow up, but I can't stay in Chicago."

"No," Fran said. "I am thankful for the years that I had you and Hank here, but you were restless and your potential was wasting away in that desk job."

"I'll be home by lunch tomorrow."

"Where is home for you, Derek?"

"I...I don't know, Ma. But, I'll be at your dining room table for lunch tomorrow."

"You do, too, know. What was it that you told me years ago? That you had finally found your solace?"

Derek pressed his forefinger and thumb against his forehead as he futilely said, "Mama, stop."

"Derek," She deeply sighed, "All I want is for you to be safe and happy; to love and be loved, but baby, you owe it to yourself, Savannah, and Penelope to figure things out with Savannah before you jump back into your old life or give Penelope false hope, I don't care what you said about her not being in love with you, but a mother knows. That lovely woman is fully and completely in love with you. But, baby, you're not the same man who left Quantico three years ago. You can't chase the life you had, because the life you have isn't going how you want it. The past is the past and can't be recaptured, but you can create a new future by the choices you make in the present. Make the right choices, Derek. Right for you and Hank."

"Thank you, Mama. I love you. Give Hank a kiss for me."

"Okay, baby. I love you, too. What would you like for lunch tomorrow?"

"Surprise me."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Derek held the phone to his ear for a moment longer after the call was disconnected. He inhaled and exhaled deeply several times before he secured the phone into the case attached to his belt on his left hip. He checked the locks on each window and entrance to the house before he locked the front door and set the security system. He pressed the button to start the ignition seconds before he buckled the seat belt of the rental, the bluetooth of the vehicle connected to his phone. Derek pressed a button on the steering wheel as he said, "Call David Rossi."

The call rang four times before Derek heard his old friend and mentor's voice. "Morgan, long time. What do I owe the pleasure of your phone call?"

Derek blinked in confusion. He had spoken to him last night then this morning. Although, Derek had been out of the field for three years other than an occasionally supervising or consulting role, he had thought his skills had not become rusty, but they had. It took Derek a moment to realize that Rossi wasn't able to speak freely.

Instead of speaking to him about the subject Derek wanted, he said, "Eh, I wanted to see if you wanted to join me and Spencer for a meal. You know the place. It's the diner that you and Gideon birthed many of the ideas for the BAU."

Rossi smiled at the nostalgic memory and tradition that Gideon had started decades ago. He hadn't thought of the weekly meals he shared with Jason at the roadside diner in a long time. After he had retired from the Bureau those weekly meals had become yearly then never again, after Jason left the Bureau. "That's a blast from the past. Why are you guys meeting there?"

"Well," Derek said, uncomfortable. If Rossi wasn't able to speak freely, then he couldn't necessarily speak freely, either. "The place holds special meaning. Gideon would take Spencer there after every difficult case."

"And, Spencer is keeping the tradition alive by being the friend who listens."

"Yes." Derek said as he heard a woman tell Rossi to step outside of the room. "Where are you?"

"In a minute." Rosssi said. Derek wasn't sure if Rossi had spoken to him or the woman. After more than a minute, Derek heard Rossi mutter an Italian curse. "I swear, if what I hear is true, I don't know if this old man can handle two hotheads in the BAU."

"Excuse me?" Derek asked for clarification. "Are you able to speak freely now?"

"For now. I'm in an employee stairwell at a hospital."

"Hospital?"

"Alvez broke his hand. I drove him to get medical attention."

"Rewind. Alvez as in Garcia's Latin lover? I was under the impression they had plans today. Is Penelope okay?"

"I can't answer the last question as I haven't spoken to Garcia today, but..." Rossi sighed. "Morgan, it might be a good idea for you to call her when we end this call. I'm not certain of their relationship status or the lack of one, but, there was a disagreement over the phone...forgive me, but their dynamic is eerily reminiscent of what our Garcia had with another hothead agent."

The feelings of dread, jealously, and regret mingled as Derek tried to joke away the statement that Rossi had made, "That's no way to speak about Hotch. Hotch only kicked that person once. I'm sure it was a creative misunderstanding."

"Derek," Rossi said, patiently. "If what I spoke to Emily about this morning is true, you've got to talk to Alvez. He's convinced that you're moving in on his girl. He doesn't understand the dynamic the two of you had, regardless of whether either of you were in a relationship. To be frank, I don't think there is a serious relationship between Garcia and Alvez, but I do see the potential there. She's keeping him at arms length, mostly. He's more..." Rossi paused. "He's more aggressive in his pursuit than the other hothead was, okay?"

"I'll talk to him. As long as he treats my baby girl, right, we will have no beef. And, give me some credit, Dave, I didn't allow her relationship with Kevin to interfere with the dynamic at work. We all worked together great."

Rossi bellowed in laughter. The laughter echoed in the stairwell. Rossi braced himself against the concrete wall near the stairwell exit. "Derek, I worked with you three for years and shared more than a few meals during our team bonding events that Lynch reluctantly attended. You three worked together 'great,' because he was terrified of you, and Garcia was mostly dominant over Lynch. Luke Alvez is no Kevin Lynch. Nobody controls Alvez. And, Derek, he's not afraid of you. The man has lived in your shadow professionally and personally for years, he's not going to be scared of working with or for you. If anything, he'll see it as a challenge to conquer."

"This is all moot. There is no challenge. Penelope is my best friend." Abruptly, Derek changed the subject. "Although, you're welcome to join Spencer and I, the real reason that I called you was to ask, why did you suggest me ?"

"Derek, I've been married and divorced many times. The only thing that got me through was the job. You and I are similar in a lot of ways. We cope better when we're making a difference. I've had you on my mind to suggest for weeks, because you know the job, have done a similar job, and mainly because you made a comment during our phone call last month that got me thinking. But, it wasn't until last night when you called me that I made a call to suggest you."

"Last month, what comment did I make?"

"You said that you missed the loyalty you found inside the BAU and wished that Savannah understood how much loyalty meant to you."

"I said, that?" Derek muttered to himself, before he asked, "Why did that get you thinking?"

"You've been gone three years, Derek. We haven't spoken constantly the entire time you were away, but fairly often, I'd say. Not once did you say you missed the job until then. On the contrary, up until that comment I was convinced that you had made the transition fully. It was odd for you to say that you missed loyalty instead of just saying that you missed the job. I surmised that you were having marital problems when you implied that Savannah didn't understand loyalty. I'm not sure what your plan is, but I have many guest rooms, Derek, you're welcome to one or two of them for you and your son."

"I appreciate the offer, I do. Thank you. I'd forgotten what it was like to be profiled. There are no secrets with you guys."

"Eh, you'll remember quickly. It was good talking to you, Derek. I'll take a rain check on the meal. I need to check on Alvez. You check on our girl."

The call disconnected. Derek changed the automatic gear shift from park to reverse to back out of the vacancy's drive way. He would call her when he arrived at the diner. As Derek drove to the town over to the diner, Derek reflected on his deteriorating marriage, the conversation with his mother, his friendship and almost relationship with Penelope, and the conversation he had had with Rossi and the many ones he'd had with Penelope over the last three years, particularly the last year which included more passing comments about Alvez.

He couldn't see clearly where it concerned his own relationship with his wife, but he could clearly see what was going on with Penelope and Alvez.

After all, the predicament between Penelope and Alvez, he was familiar with; it was easier to see, because Penelope had done the same thing to him, years ago.

Penelope had friend zoned the man who was in love with her.

And, now history was repeating itself.

But, who was Penelope in love with?

Questions fleetingly crossed Derek mind: Was she still stuck on Kevin? Why had she friend zoned him after that particular night in October, years ago? Why was she currently treating Alvez as she had done him? Should he involve himself in that dynamic? He wanted his baby girl to have her happy ever after, but the rate she was going, it wouldn't happen with anyone. She pushed away anyone and everyone who got her close enough to taste that happy ever after.

Ironically, neither Derek Morgan nor anyone else realized that she had entered a relationship with Kevin Lynch, in the attempt, to prove to herself and everyone around her, that she wasn't in love with her best friend. She had, actually, accepted the blind date with Battle for the same reasoning.

If Derek Morgan had realized the fact, he couldn't fault her, because hadn't he initially done the same thing when he started his flavor of the week club then again when started dating Savannah? To prove to himself that, although he loved his best friend more than he should, he could move on and create a life with another woman?

Many questions and what-ifs plagued him as he continued to drive. He couldn't ignore his marital problems after today, but today he would ignore them. He would enjoy a meal and good company with a man who he saw as a little brother. He had missed Spencer, perhaps the most, only second to Penelope.

Meanwhile, Penelope Garcia had her own questions, regrets, and what-ifs plaguing her as she took a rare day to lounge around her apartment in her pajamas. Her heart had been broken for years, but today it had shattered by accusations and what could have been.

Penelope Garcia had fallen in love with Derek Morgan, fifteen years ago. He had had her heart at that very first baby girl, even though she had pretended not to hear him then acted outraged at the pet name. Unbeknownst to her, he had realized that he was in love with her when she was shot by Battle. It wasn't until that a night a few years afterwards that she had drank too much wine that she realized that their flirty friendship meant more to Derek than he had let on. Even though, her relationship with Kevin was doomed before it started, it wasn't until that particular night that she _admitted_ to herself that it was doomed. Kevin Lynch was no Derek Morgan. How could she judge Savannah for her infidelity when she had cheated on Kevin with Derek. No. One. Knew. But. She. And. Derek. It had been one drunken time, but that one time was still a betrayal in her eyes. Wine was not Penelope Garcia's friend, because it lead to her sleeping with two of her best friends, albeit years apart.

A part of her actually had wanted to fall in love with Luke Alvez, but she had the same reservations with Derek that she had with Luke, if not more now with Luke, because of Derek and somewhat Kevin. But, after the conversation that she had earlier that day with Luke, she was skittish about even a friendship with Luke now. Did he really think her a whore? Derek would have never...she caught her thought before it completely formed. Perhaps, she had always compared Derek to Luke and Luke to Derek, but she hadn't realized to the extent she did until that moment. Even so, she wasn't sure whether she could easily forgive the accusations that Luke had spewed. After all, hadn't something similar finally end her relationship with Kevin?

Derek loved Penelope, but was married to Savannah and convinced that Alvez made his baby girl happy.

Penelope loved Derek; she knew he loved her, but was certain that he wasn't in love with her. A sexual attraction hadn't been enough for her and she had balked at the timing of the culmination of that attraction. She had wanted her love reciprocated, not lust intensified.

Savannah was married to Derek, but knew he loved Penelope Garcia more than he did her. She had been convinced that once they had Hank, married, and moved away from his best friend that he would fall completely in love with her instead of the halfhearted, yet genuine attempt at loving her.

Where did that leave Luke Alvez?

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thank you very much for reading, following, adding this story to your favorites, and/or reviewing. The next chapter is looking like it will be another long word count, perhaps longer than this one, because it will include: Luke and Rossi, Derek and Spencer, an encounter between Savannah and an important woman in Derek's life, and the beginning of movie night.

It has no bearing on the plot of this story, but I dropped a small Easter egg in this chapter about a past event concerning the television show. Did you spot it? Let me know, please. Also, did you spot a rewrite of a canon scene that occurred between Penelope and Derek? I corrected the scene, somewhat. It bugged me then and still, years later, bugs me that the writers teased Morgan/Garcia shippers the way that they did, particularly with that scene. And, now, it seems as if the writers are teasing Garvez shippers. Is it too much to ask for our Penelope to get a canon happy ever after with one of the team? At this point, I'll settle for the canon writers pairing her with Anderson if Garvez (pretty certain that Morcia is under the grout in the deep crevices of the writer room floor) isn't the current canon end game. Not knocking Anderson, because I like him as a character and always thought that he should have been more involved in the show. I digress, sorry.

Which ship would you like to see as end game in this story?

Thanks again,

Bren


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